The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-08-03
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Economy in Farm Homes.

vi our Wotlu-De economists of tn,
present day. 1t is futile work for thu
I good husband without to caulk up the
leaks OF farm expenditure if the house.
wife within be prodigal and thriftless
and ignore progressive economy. Il
IS net my intention to impute all fail.
ures of farm life to the good sisters
thereon, for many are frugal house.
wives who struggle vainly against tho
theoretical impulses Of the '.gude
man with his new tangled notions,
far different from those Of his honest
phlegmatie father who carried the
rock in one end of his corn sack to
balance the other because
his father and his grandfather
had done ii before him" We take it
for granted that our good man is a
farmer of practical purpose and honest
intelligence, and his good wife help
meet for him. He tells her Just how
much he can afford for the family SUP.
port and then trusts the expenditure
to her care without growing over
every item rs though all were for her
individual benefit instead of the united
family support. l have known wives
OF good intelligence, portly and merry,
and by several inches taller than their
husband, actually quail when the flour
gave out and trembled to mention the
hldeous fact that the sugar barrel was
empty. Why not? The husband was
not brute as some might infer,
but an honest man of average
Intelligence, and like John Gil
pins wife, ''who had fru-
grail mind" inconsistency expects a
lean larder to furnish forth afull table.
and yet last far beyond the time. Not
content with driving the plow, he also
likes to dip finger into the pie of
household economy This should not
he, any more than that The wife should
interfere with the farm arrangements
OF the husband. How would lie relish
her appearance in the barn.yard die
tallnS to him about the compost heap,
OF planting and reaping and economy
IN farm labor-matters of which she
knows little, and which he
prefers to manage according to his
own ideas. We here and there find
woman who. so to speak, "wears her
husbands breeches," but all over the s
land, could we but peep at the inter- l
nal machinery of the household, we |
will find men who insist on DOMINIC t
he bonnet and apron of their wives, c
much to the discomfort of the latter. f
The imaginary husband of which we i
write has no such foible however; he f
reats his wife with consideration, not v
Iictating to her in her household "
lialrs as he would to a hiring or an tt
ilot, ana IN return expects that she c.
VII do her best for the common veal, E
IS all good wives should, she puts her O
boulder to the wheel and with W
Help Hercules" the wagon is out of p
ne mud and the result contentment m
nd happiness. If q family of grow p,
lg children, she realizes the fact that al
idleness is the mother of mischief" o,
nj so looks to the way of her house. IT,
Old that all arc compelled to assist in it.
lie domestic work. The two eldest W.
lughtcrs take turns at the COOKING. tn
id after few months become in
'perts in the culinary art, to M
e pleasure of the father who pre-
rs to partake of clearly, whole p
me meal. prepared by the white fin
rs Of his daughters, TO the most Fl
worry repast, served by grimy de- ri,
endant of Ham. At the same time W. va
ii borne in mind, that if the chill ~ ~
en- of the household are expected to N,
rform mental duties, their lives ho:
ould not be made burden, but all No
modern machinery of convenience fin fin
ould be gradually purchased as the ar,
wings from the servants fund ac- -
mulates. When afternoon arrives a No,
lyy supper should not be expected. s r
u light meal served instead, which tio
lders this duty less irksome to the on,
tlful servitors and more wholesome on,
the digestion. Reading, with recre- stn
On OF some kind. should always fill an,
evening, serving to pleasantly pass 49,,
time, toning up both body and
I'd Tor the next days labor.
lbove all, there should be method
system in the farm home. Each
Id must be taught that work is a. one
y expected by God of man, not to 4u'
AIKEN up or thrown down at pleas 0oo
and later in life they will thank .'n.
parents that compelled obedience. uoo
lie are many other turns in the soo
by the key of economy, which soo
Is to fortune. There is the penny
'e gained by the sale of the garden "A 81 e.
luce, chickens, eggs and butter, The
one family we knew of grew, sa
I'd and used their own tea. The Ana'
Hover of the fragrant olive, the An
LENA or rose put in muslin BAGS For
scattered after curing, through the we
es OF the fragrant beverage, which
'thes but does not inebriate.n is len
TO lmpart a rare flavor equal to and
flowers irsported. The plant that
't'iul evergreen, is hardy in this a p
ude, being killed by neither heat prof
cold. pota
conclusion, we do not wish our chlc
ers to infer from what has been pate
ten above that a woman's sphere =
" in the driving drudery of the half
-house wheel. In work of all two
s. save that which requires superb stir
,ysical strength, woman is not pitcl
II place and cbn,la ~. wan